Dispenser for paper blanks



April 1960 J. C.-THOMASMA ETAL 2,931,536

DISPENSER FOR PAPER BLANKS Filed Nov. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet .1

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April 5, 1960 J. c. THOMASMA ETAL 2,931,536

DISPENSER FOR PAPER BLANKS Filed Nov. 25, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 2 P 1960J. c. THOMASMA ET AL 2,931,536

DISPENSER FOR PAPER BLANKS Filed NOV. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 81% 1hfl? faz/c /rzic s 39 U17 kanzasn'za Uo/zaCT 20.6020

"-Q aZfiOLfCLQ/g United States Patent 6 DESPENSER FOR PAPER BLANKS JohnC. 'lhornasrna, Kalamazoo, and Charls W- Thomasma, Sturgis, Mich,assignors to Sanitor Mfg. Co., Kalamazoo, Mich, a corporation ofMichigan Application November 25, 1955, Serial No. 548,906-

Claims. (Cl. 221-41) The present invention relates to a dispenser forpaper blanks. The invention finds particular, although not. ex? elusive,utility'indispensers adapted to dispensetoilet seat covers.

With an increasing emphasis; on public washroom cleanliness, more andmore toilet seat cover dispensers are being employed. The existing unitsare alsobeing used more extensively. For these and other obvious reasonsit becomes highly desirable to provide a dispensing unit. with greaterdurability,. capacity, and ease of operation.

Although all of the elements of. the new dispenserfcoact' to produce animproved operation, the key to the improved operation is a new andimproved ejector and locking mechanism. The new ejector contemplates anelongate flexible tongue which coacts with a: central dcflector servingto impart a wider range of operation to the feeder. I

Consequently, it is the principal object of the-invention to provide adispenser with more efficient and durable. ejector mechanism. A moredetailed object of the invention is to furnish a dispenser withincreased capacity and an ejector which will operatefaithfully asthe'supply is progressively consumed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which isquieter in operation while still accommodating a greater capacity.

Further objects and advantages of the present. invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying descriptive drawings of an illustrativeembodimentv of the invention in which: 1

Figure 1 is a front view of a typical tissue dispenser embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional: view in enlarged scale of the dispensershown in Fig. 1 taken along section line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a back view of the dispenser shown in Fig. 1'.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the dispenser showing its inner detailswith the front and back portions opened at their hinged joint.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the ejector mechanism showing it in theneutral or starting position.

Fig. 6 is anenlarged View of the ejector mechanism showing its positionin the process of ejecting.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the ejector mechanism showing the ejectorat the end of its discharge stroke poised for returnv to the startingposition 'as shown in Fig. 5. V

Fig. 8 is an enlarged partial section of the. ejector mechanism andassociated dispenserportions taken along section line 8-8 of Fig. 6 andshowing the action of: the ejector beginning to eject a sheet of.tissue.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged partial section of the ejector mechanism takenalong section line 9-9 of Fig. 7 show ing the ejector in its fullyextended position poised for retraction as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Federated Apr. 5, 1960 the locking mechanism which forms a part of: thenew ejector...

Fig. 1 1 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the ejector parts.

Fig. 12 is a top view of the ejector carriage.

Fig. 13 is an end view in enlarged scale of the inclined plane member ofthe ejector mechanism.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention as shown in theforegoing drawings, the invention is em. bodied in a dispenser 10 fordisposable toilet seat tissue covers of the variety employed in publicrestrooms; Basically, the dispenser is made up of a rigid back. 11 andfront cover 12 which are hinged at their lower portionsby means of bingepins 14. A pair of hooks 15 disposed along the upper edge of the back 11are pro.- vided to hang pads 16 of folded tissues to be sequentiall-yejected from the dispenser It A pair of, mount ing.- holes 18 areprovided in the dispenser back 11. in order to secure the unit to awall. Additional ports 19 in the back portion '11 of the dispenser maybesimilarly employed to secure the unit to its associated wall.

When the unit is mounted on awall, as shown in Fig. 1, the front of thecover 12 presents a pleasing appearance, and is normally enamelledwhite. In order to eject a toilet seat tissue, the user need onlydepress the ejector button 20 in order to deliver a toilet seat tissuethrough the delivery slot 21 defined at the lower extremity of thedispenser 10.

The heart of the dispenser unit 10 resides in the ejector mechanism 30and its associated locking mechanism .60. As will be seen by referenceto Fig. 2, the cover 12 and back plate 11 form a closure which housesfolded pads 16 of toilet seat covering tissues. It is the function ofthe ejector mechanism 30, upondepressing the ejector button 20, toadvance a gripper 31, shown in the form of a semicylindrical rubber pad,in such a manner that it will reach inwardly and then downwardly inorder to first frictionally engage the top tissue sheet of the pad 16Thereafter by pressing the ejector button 20 further downwardly, theseat cover is delivered into the dispenser slot 21 where the user maypull the sheet the Fig. 10 is abroken enlarged exploded perspective of Iremaining distance out of the dispenser 10. Upon releasing the ejectorbutton 20, the ejector return spring 32, having been tensioned by thedownward movement of the ejector button 20, returns the entire ejectormechanism into the starting position.

The action of the ejector mechanism and the'deta-ils of constructionwhich impart a greater capacity and ease of operation to the dispenserunit will become more ap-' parent as its details of construction aredescribed. Referring now to Figs. 2, 4 and 5, it will be seen that theactual. ejecting action is accomplished directly by the rubber gripper31 which is secured at the bottom end of the tongue 34 by means ofscrews 35 or any other convenient fastening element. The tongue 34 rideson a carriage 36 which in turn moves'within the track 38. An inclinedplane 39 is provided at the end of the inclined plane support 40 whichcoacts with the inclined plane runner portion 41 of the tongue 34 toadvance the gripper 31 inwardly and downwardly as the ejector button 20is moved downwardly.

The inclined plane runner sections 41 are defined by a dog-bone shapedopening 42 within the center of the tongue 34, the runners being thatarea of. metal which flanks the center portion of the. dog-bone. The endre.- ces ses 44 of the dog-bone are of sufficient proportion to overlapthe inclined plane 39 so that at the beginning or the end of the strokeof the tongue 34-, the gripper and tongue assembly will lie fiat againstthe carriage 36. The inclined plane is cantilever mounted so that its.leading edge 45 will. permit the tonguev runners 41 to pass beneath theinclined plane onthe ret-urnstroke. At the V 3 same time, the inclinedplane must be yieldably urged toward the carriage 36 so that upon thedownward stroke of the tongue 34 the runners 41 will engage the forwardface of the inclined plane 39in order to raise the tongue.

The details of the construction of the tongue 34, track 38, carriage 36,and inclined plane 39 are best shown in Fig. 11. In view of theoperational requirements of the tongue it must be a thin, yieldablemember. Blue clock spring steel of .018" thickness performs well. Thetongue 34 is secured at its rear portion to the carriage 36 in acantilever mounting, shown in the present instance as eifected bycrimped tabs 46. The spring 32 is secured at one end to the track 38,and at its other end to the carriage 36 at the carriage spring hook 37.

The track 38 is in the form of a channel member having upstanding edges48 and overlapping flanges 49. The forward portion of the track has acut out 43 to receive the ejector button 20.

The carriage 36 is of less yieldable strip material than the tongue,having an ejector button 20 secured to its rear portion. The forward tab47 of the carriage is proportioned to rest beneath the inclined plane 39when the ejector is in its starting position. A pair of upstanding tabs50 are provided on the rear portion of the carriage 36 to engageresilient rubber bumpers 51 which are secured to the track 40 for thepurpose of cushioning the return stroke of the ejector andsimultaneously silencing the operation of the unit.

Although the forward inclined plane 39 is the operative portion of theinclined element, the details of the inclined plane support 40 play apart in the present embodiment of the invention. The upturned edge 45 atthe base of the inclined plane 39 slidably engages the body of thecarriage 36. The upturned edges 43 engage the inner upturned edges 33 ofthe carriage 36. The offset mounting tabs 63 are secured to the track 38at its end when the ejector mechanism is fixed to the dispenser front12. The tab 58 is recessed beneath the inclined plate 52 when assembled.The forward upwardly inclined tongue tabs 57 serve to engage the edgesof the tongue 34 and incline the tongue up slightly so that the forwardend of the tongue will properly engage the inclined plane 39.

Because the ejector mechanism must cooperate with other elements of thedispenser framing, their construction should be adapted for cooperativeaction with the ejector mechanism. As will be seen from the drawings,particularly Fig. 4, a bevel plate 52 is provided at the lower extremityof the ejector mechanism with its main body portion inclined to bringits lower edge in close proximity with the dispenser opening 21 at thebottom of the dispenser unit. As will be seen in Fig. 9, the bevel 52serves to guide the forward portion of the tongue 34 at the lower end ofits stroke to extend the tissue sheet 55 downwardly and in a centeredposition within the dispenser port opening 21. A complementary tissuedeflector 56 is formed into the back 11 of the dispenser unit in orderto bring the bottom ends of the folded tissue packs 16 into closerproximity near the bottom of the unit and the ejector opening 21.

Coupled with the ejector mechanism 30 is a unique locking assembly 60.The lock contemplates a key slot 61 in the top 11 and a stirrup 62secured to the top beneath and adjacent to the key slot 61. A curvedyieldable lock tongue 64 having a pair of lateral notches 65 is securedto the cover 12 beneath the track 38 of' the ejector mechanism. A pairof downwardly turned ears 66 extending from the back 11 are proportionedto nest within the notches 65 of the locking tongue 64 so that the hookportions 68 of the locking tongue 64 are held in place behind the ears66 when locked. It will be appreciated that the forward portion of thelocking tongue 64 including the notches and adjacent hook must be curvedand inclined downwardly in order to engage the forward extremity of thehooks 68 and spring them downwardly until the cars 66 of the back platelock snappingly engage the lock slots 65. By providing a slotted opening61 in the upper portion of the cover plate, the unit can be unlocked byinserting a fiat key which depresses the locking tongue 64 downwardly toa sufficient extent that the locking hooks 68 are disengaged from theback plate ears 66, and then the unit may be opened for servicing bypulling the front plate downwardly about the hinge pins 14-.

A review of the entire structure of the dispenser unit and thecooperative relationship of the various elements may best be made byobserving the operational cycle illustrated in Figs. 5 through 9. At thestart of the cycle the tongue 34 is positioned with the lower recess 44of the dog-bone opening 42 around the inclined plane 39. As the ejectorbutton 20 is pushed downwardly, the tongue 34 and its associatedcarriage 36 move downwardly against the tensioning of the spring 32. Therunners 41 of the tongue 34 engage the inclined face of the incline 39and move the tongue, and particularly its associated rubber gripper 31,into contact with the outer tissue of the paper pack 16 as shown in Fig.8. Also in Fig. 6, it will be seen, that the runner portions 41 of thetongue 34 overlap the inclined plane 39.-

It will be appreciated, that the function of the runners 41 with asingle inclined face 39 within the dog-bone opening 42 is one ofproviding a constant centering action of the elongated tongue 34.Because of the centering action, the dimensional tolerances of thecarriage and its associated track fall within the realm of economicalmanufacture.

When the end of the stroke has been reached, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9,the runners 41 of the tongue 34 suddenly release their hold on theinclined plane 39 and the top recess 44 permits the tongue 34 to snapback toward the carriage 36 lowering the position of the runners 41sufficiently so that they can pass beneath the inclined plane 39. Thenotches 54 at the rear edge of the inclined plane are provided to permitthe runners 41 to by-pass the inclined plane on the return stroke.

Because many users of the dispenser will carelessly release the ejectorbutton 20, and result in the carriage 36 being snapped quickly into therearward position, the rubber bumpers 51 at the rear portion of thetrack 38 are provided to cushion the shock as they engage the tabs 50 atthe rear portion of the carriage 36.

In operation it has been proven that the instant ejector mechanism willhandle larger pads of folded tissues than heretofore accomplished withsimilar dispensers known in the art. The pairs of opposed bevels anddeflectors at the bottom opening 21 of the dispenser permit thicker padsto be effectively reduced in location during the ejection operation thanwas formerly possible. Also, the additional firmly supported width ofthe gripper 31 extending the etfective width of the tongue 34 provides alarger area for contacting, holding, and moving the tissues from thedispenser. The bumpers 51 provide for a silenced return stroke andreduce the shock loading on the unit otherwise encountered in many knowndispensers. In addition, the unique locking mechanism formed as acontinuation of the ejector mechanism serves torender the dispensertamper-proof, and yet readily serviceable.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit theinvention to the details of such embodiment. On the contrary, theintention is to cover all modifications, alternative embodiments, usagesand equivalents of the dispenser as fall within the spirit and scope ofthe invention, specification and appended claims.

We claim as our invention: 7

1. In a dispenser for flexible paper sheets arranged flat against eachother in a pad, the combination of a body having laterally spacedgenerally parallel walls defining anejection slot along oneof.theiredges: and adapted to receive said pad between them withuthe padlying adjacent one wall. and spacedfrom the other wall; an elongatedejector track mounted on said other wall.- and extending along the walland transversely of said slot, a carriage reciprocable in said trackbetween a retracted position spaced from said slot and an advancedposition closer to the slot, means yieldably urging said carriage towardsaid retracted position, a fiat elongated tongue secured at one end tosaid carriage and extending therefrom along said track and toward saidslot, said tongue having a longitudinally extending slot with enlargedend portions spaced along the tongue and connected by a narrower centralportion, a cam member projecting out wardly from said track andincluding an inclined plate positioned to fit into said enlarged endportions of said slot with said carriage in said positions but having awidth greater than the spacing between the edges of said central portionto engage such edges and cam the free end of said tongue toward said onewall and said pad when said carriage is moving toward said advancedposition, said free end of said tongue normally being urged to aposition adjacent said track and spaced from said pad, and a gripper onsaid free end of said tongue engaging the adjacent sheet of said pad assuch end is camrned toward the pad, said inclined plate having a supportnarrower than said edges so as to pass between the edges and beingyieldably urged toward said other wall but movable away from the wall topermit the passage of the edges between the plate and the wall as saidcarriage moves from said advanced position to said retracted position,the edge portion of said other wall adjacent said slot being inclinedtoward said one wall and spaced from said track a distance correlatedwith the length of said tongue for engagement with said free end of thetongue to cam said gripper positively toward the one Wall when saidcarriage moves into said advanced position.

2. In a dispenser for flexible paper sheets arranged flat against eachother in a pad, the combination of a body having laterally spacedgenerally parallel walls defining an ejection slot along one of theiredges and adapted to receive said pad between them with the pad lyingadjacent one wall and spaced from the other wall, an elongated ejectortrack mounted on said other wall and extending along the wall andtransversely of said slot, a carriage reciprocable in said track betweena retracted position spaced from said slot and an advanced positioncloser to the slot, means yieldably urging said carriage toward saidretracted position, a flat elongated tongue secured at one end to saidcarriage and extending therefrom along said track and toward said slot,a cam member projecting beyond said track and toward said one wall andengaging said tongue to urge the free end of the tongue toward the onewall and said pad during the movement of said carriage between saidpositions and toward said advanced position, said cam member releasingsaid tongue for movement away from said other wall when said carriagereaches said advanced position, and a gripper on said free end of saidtongue engaging the adjacent sheet of said pad as such end is cammedtoward the pad by said cam member, the edge portion of said other walladjacent said slot being inclined toward said one wall and spaced fromsaid track a distance correlated with the length of said tongue forengagement with said free end of the tongue to cam said gripperpositively toward the one wall when said carriage moves into saidadvanced position.

3. Ina dispenser for flexible paper sheets arranged fiat against eachother in a pad, the combination of'a body having laterally spacedgenerally parallel Walls defining,

an ejection-slot along one of their edges and adapted to receive saidpad between them with the pad lying adjacent one wall and spaced fromthe other wall, an elongated ejector track mounted on said other walland extending along thewall and transversely of said slot,, a carriagereciprocable in saidtrack between, a retracted position spaced from saidslot: and an advanced position closer to the slot, means yieldablyurging said carriage toward said retracted position, a fiat elongatedtongue secured at one end to said carriage and extending there fromalong said track and toward, said slot, said tonguehaving alongitudinally extending slot with enlarged end portions spaced alongthe tongue and connected'by a nar rower central portion, a cam memberprojecting outwardly from said track and including an inclined platepositioned to fit into said enlarged end portions of said slot with saidcarriage in said positions but having a width greater than the spacingbetween the edges of said central portion to engage such edges and camthe free end of said tongue toward said one wall and said pad when saidcarriage is moving toward said advanced position, said free end of saidtongue normally being urged to a position adjacent said track and spacedfrom said pad, and a gripper on said free end of said tongue engagingthe adjacent sheet of said pad as such end is camrned toward the pad,said inclined plate having a support narrower than said edges so as topass between the edges and being yieldably urged toward said other wallbut movable away from the wall to permit the passage of the edgesbetween the plate and the wall as said carriage moves from said advancedposition to'said retracted position.

4. In a dispenser for flexible paper sheets arranged flat against eachother in a pad, the combination of a body having laterally spacedgenerally parallel walls defining an ejection slot along one of theiredges and adapted to receive said pad between them with the pad lyingadjacent one wall and spaced from the other wall, an elongated ejectortrack mounted on said other wall and extending along the wall andtransversely of said slot, a carriage reciprocable in said track betweena retracted position spaced from said slot and an advanced positioncloser to the slot, means yieldably urging said carriage toward saidretracted position, a flat elongated tongue secured at one end to saidcarriage and extending therefrom along said track and toward said slot,said tongue having a longitudinally extending slot with enlarged endportions spaced along the tongue and connected by a narrower centralportion, a cam member projecting outwardly from said track and includingan inclined plate positioned to fit into said enlarged end portions ofsaid slot with said carriage in said positions but having a widthgreater than the spacing between the edges of said central portion toengage such edges and cam the free end portion of said tongue towardsaid one Wall and said pad when said carriage is moving toward saidadvanced position, said free end portion of said tongue normally beingurged to a position adjacent said track and spaced from said pad, andsaid inclined plate having a central support narrower than said edges soas to pass between the edges during advancing and retracting move mentsof said tongue, and at least one tab member projecting outwardly fromsaid track and toward said other wall to engage said free end portion ofsaid tongue and raise said edges for engagement with said cam memberwhen the carriage is in said retracted position and moving toward saidadvanced position.

5. In a dispenser for flexible paper sheets arranged flat against eachother in a pad, the combination of a body having laterally spacedgenerally parallel walls defining an ejection slot along one of theiredges and adapted to receive said pad between them with the pad lyingadjacent one wall and spaced from the other wall, an elongated ejectortrack mounted on said other wall and extending along the wall andtransversely of said slot, a carriage reciprocable in said track betweena re tracted position spaced from said slot and an advanced positioncloser to the slot, means yieldably urging said carriage toward saidretracted position, a flat elongated V 7 tongue secured at one end tosaid carriage and extending therefrom along said track and toward saidslot, said tongue having a longitudinally extending slot with enlargedend portions spaced along the tongue and connected by a narrower centralportion, a cam member projecting outwardly from said track and includingan inclined plate positioned tofit into said enlarged end portions ofsaid slot with said carriage in said positions but having a widthgreater than the spacing between the edges of said central portion toengage such edges and cam the free end portion of said tongue towardsaid one wall and said pad when said carriage is moving toward saidadvanced position, said free end of said tongue normally being urged toa position adjacent said track and spaced from said pad, and a gripperon said free end 15 2,571,831

of said tongue engaging the adjacent sheet of said pad as such end iscammed toward the pad, said inclined plate having a support narrowerthan said edges so as to pass between the edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS937,584 Fitch Oct. 19, 1909 1,434,061 Lewis Oct. 31, 1922 1,440,101Pfund et al Dec. 26, 1922 1,446,285 Barlett Feb. 20, 1923 1,677,938VanSickle July 24, 1928 1,953,037 Ash Mar. 27, 1934 2,299,940 ThomasmaOct. 27, 1942 Cain Oct. 16, 1951

